Chapter 4

I got there early and sat at the table closest to the door.

When a few classmates saw me, the chatter died down for a moment.

A place setting had been laid out beside me.

One of the girls shifted her chair further away and had the waiter clear the place setting.

"Sorry, my husband will be here soon," she said.

Her husband never even showed up.

Some people just stared at their water, some pretended to check their phones, and someone came right out and asked, "Why are you here?"

I put down the gift for Vera. "I promised…